I love making homemade body products, and scrubs made with sugar (or salt) are particularly easy to put together. They are pretty inexpensive and another plus: they’re free of the potentially toxic chemicals that similar store-bought products may contain.

I’ve got a bit of an obsession with tangerines lately, so I used tangerine essential oil, as well as tangerine zest, to scent this scrub. Tangerine essential oil is said to be calming to the mind as well as uplifting to the spirit, which all sounds good to me, but you could certainly use a different essential oil (such as lavender) if you like. In fact, in the photo above, the brown sugar scrub was made with lavender essential oil.

Though I do enjoy the way my skin feels when I exfoliate with sugar (or salt) scrubs, it’s important to note that these can be pretty abrasive. I wouldn’t use this or a similar product on a daily basis because you will quickly strip away your skin’s natural oils if you do. I like to use this type of scrub once or twice a week at most. (According to Dina Falconi, author of Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Every Body, it’s better to use scrubs made from ground grains and seeds if you like to scrub frequently. These gently cleanse and polish, without stripping away the skin’s protective oils.) Another caution: be sure to use care on sensitive areas of your body, such as your face.

I store my scrubs in pretty glass jars. Weck jars are perfect (I used the 1/5 L size, which are slightly smaller than these, but both sizes will work).

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. If the scrub seems too oily to you, add a bit more sugar (conversely, if it seems to dry, add a bit more oil). Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid for storage away from sunlight: it should keep for a while. Scoop out some to use on your body when you are in the shower; after use, rinse and gently pat yourself dry with a towel so some of the oil from the scrub remains on your skin.

Oh my gosh, I love sugar scrubs and this one sounds so wonderful! I’m sure the scent of the tangerine essential oil is heavenly. I can’t wait to try making my own – I’ve never thought about doing that but it seems pretty easy. Thank you for the advice on only using these once a week. I learn something new every day :-)

Essential oils are used in a variety of ways, and include aromatherapy massage – where the oil is absorbed through the skin and vaporization where the essential oil molecules enter the bloodstream via the lungs.Essential oils are also used medicinally and taken internally, but this must NOT be undertaken by the layperson, but should only be done under the treatment and direction of a qualified medical practitioner. ‘^.;

Welcome!

Hi there! I'm Winnie. I am a published author and I create and photograph seasonally inspired recipes here at Healthy Green Kitchen. I have a graduate degree in naturopathic medicine and I am currently studying sports nutrition. I am a competitive powerlifter and I live in NY's Hudson Valley with my husband, kids, cats, dogs, and chickens.